Poehler was born inNewton, Massachusetts,[2][3] to school teachers Eileen and William Poehler.[1][4] Poehler credits her father with encouraging her to break social protocols and take risks.[5] She has one younger brother,Greg, who is also a producer and actor.[6][5] Poehler's ancestry isIrish, along withGerman,Portuguese, andEnglish; her Irish roots originate fromCounty Sligo andCounty Cork.[4] Her great-grandmother emigrated fromNova Scotia, Canada to Boston in the late 1800s.[7] She was raised as aCatholic.[8]
After graduating from high school in 1989, she enrolled atBoston College.[12] During college, Poehler became a member of theimprov comedy troupe My Mother's Fleabag.[1] She graduated from Boston College with a bachelor's degree in media and communications in 1993.[13]
Poehler's time studying improv in college inspired her to pursue comedy professionally.[14] After graduating from college, she moved toChicago, where she took her first improv class, taught byCharna Halpern atImprovOlympic.[15] Early on, Poehler worked as a waitress and at other jobs to earn money.[14] Through ImprovOlympic, Poehler learned fromDel Close, and she was introduced to friend and frequent collaboratorTina Fey.[15][16] Poehler and Fey joined aSecond City touring company at the same time, and Poehler went on to join one of Second City's main companies where Fey was her eventual replacement.[16]
In 1998,Comedy Central debuted UCB'seponymous half-hour sketch-comedy series.[17] During the show's second season, the group founded animprov theater/training center in New York City on West 22nd Street, occupying the space of a former strip club.[17] The UCB Theatre held shows seven nights a week, in addition to offering classes in sketch-comedy writing and improv.[8] In the summer of 2000, Comedy Central canceled the Upright Citizens Brigade program after its third season,[19] although the UCB Theatre continued to operate.[23] Poehler, Besser, Roberts, and Walsh are considered the founders of UCB and have been credited with popularizing long-form improv in New York.[17][24][25] By 2011, UCB had two theaters in New York and a theater in Los Angeles with 8,000 students taking classes per year.[17]
In 1999, Poehler andTina Fey provided voices for the video gameDeer Avenger 2: Deer in the City.[26] In 2000, still unknown at the time, she appeared on the cover of the single "You Can Have It All" by American indie rock bandYo La Tengo.[27] In 1999, Poehler had a small role in the filmDeuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo.[28] The following year, she was cast in the filmWet Hot American Summer.[29]Wet Hot American Summer was the first film fromDavid Wain, who cast Poehler based on her work with Upright Citizen's Brigade.[29] The film, which cost only $1.8 million to make, was not a success initially when it was released in 2001. It gained a following after its release on DVD.[29]
TheSNL premiere of the2008–2009 season opened with Fey and Poehler asSarah Palin andHillary Clinton, respectively discussingsexism in political campaigning.[36][37] The sketch, which Poehler co-wrote with Meyers, became the biggest viral video of the year.[36][38] Days after the season premiere, NBC announced Poehler, pregnant with her first child, would not return after her upcoming maternity leave.[39] On the October 25 episode, Meyers announced duringWeekend Update that Poehler was in labor. At the end ofWeekend Update, special guest Maya Rudolph and cast memberKenan Thompson sang a custom rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" for Poehler.[40] Poehler had been rehearsing for that week's show until the day before the birth.[40]
After giving birth, Poehler appeared during a pre-taped "SNL Presidential Bash '08" prime time special on November 3.[41][42] Despite the prior announcement that Poehler would not return after her maternity leave, she came back for two more live episodes.[43][44] During the December 13Weekend Update Poehler announced that it was her last show.[44]Saturday Night Live aired a special, "The Best of Amy Poehler", in April 2009.[45] For the 2008–2009 season finale, Poehler returned to co-hostWeekend Update and joined hostWill Ferrell's version of theBilly Joel song "Goodnight Saigon".[46][47]
Off camera, Poehler was a prolific writer. She often collaborated with writerEmily Spivey.[48] Meyers described Poehler as "the most generous laugher" during sketch read-throughs.[5] Poehler would also take it upon herself to welcome guest hosts during rehearsals and try to make them feel comfortable during their stint onSNL.[5]
Although she had already leftSNL, Poehler joined Meyers in September 2009 for two episodes ofSaturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday, which aired in prime time and led directly intoParks and Recreation.[49][50] She returned toSNL along with other past female cast members for a special Mother's Day episode on May 8, 2010, hosted byBetty White.[51][52] Poehler returned again to host the2010–2011 season premiere with musical guestKaty Perry.[53] She participated in anotherSNL prime time special,The Women of SNL in November of that year.[54] Poehler also returned sporadically for appearances onWeekend Update with Meyers, as well as in sketches when Jimmy Fallon (2011) and Maya Rudolph (2012) hosted.[55][56]
In 2015, during theSaturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, she returned to anchorWeekend Update, this time with Fey andJane Curtin.[57] Later that year, Poehler co-hosted an episode of the show duringseason 41, alongside Fey.[58] Poehler continued to make several guest appearances throughout the years, including the50th Anniversary Special in 2025, and hosted the second episode ofseason 51 on October 11, 2025 (theexact 50th anniversary of the premiere of the show's first episode).[59]
Poehler appeared in the 2004 movieMean Girls, written by Tina Fey.[60] Fey wrote the role of self-described "cool mom" with Poehler in mind; however, Fey and director Mark Waters had to push for Poehler's casting.[60][61] The studio had been wary of casting too manySNL cast members and were concerned that Poehler was too young to play the mother ofRachel McAdams, who is only seven years younger than her. Poehler filmed the role inToronto during the week while filmingSNL.[60] The movie grossed $129 million at the box office worldwide and saw its popularity continue to rise after its release on DVD.[62]
Tina Fey and Poehler at the premiere ofBaby Mama in New York, April 2008
Following the success ofThe Office, NBC ordered a new series from producersGreg Daniels andMichael Schur.[67] In July 2008,Variety reported that Poehler was in final negotiations to star in the still untitled series from Daniels and Schur.[68] Poehler and Schur were friends from their time together atSNL, where Schur worked as a writer.[69] Signing Poehler, who was pregnant with her first child, meant the new series would have to forgo a promised post-Super Bowl debut and cut its first season short, but Daniels and Schur chose to push back the series for Poehler.[69][70] On July 21, 2008, NBC announced Poehler's new series,Parks and Recreation, saying the project would not be a direct spin-off ofThe Office, as previously speculated.[67]
Parks and Recreation premiered on NBC on April 9, 2009, at 8:30 pm between two episodes ofThe Office.[71][72] An ensemble cast includingAziz Ansari,Rashida Jones,Chris Pratt,Aubrey Plaza,Paul Schneider, andNick Offerman joined Poehler.[69] Poehler played deputy director of the Parks DepartmentLeslie Knope in the fictional city ofPawnee, Indiana. After thefirst season had received a mixed reception, the show'ssecond season received more positive reviews.[73] One key change between seasons one and two was to distinguish the character of Leslie fromMichael Scott, the central character ofThe Office.[69][73]Parks decidedly down-played Leslie's ditziness from the first season and emphasized her intelligence, work ethic, and earnest nature instead.[69][73] Asecond-season episode, "Galentine's Day", included a new holiday Leslie created celebrating female friendship on February 13. Galentine's Day has since transcended the show with real-life celebrations.[74][75]
Adam Scott andRob Lowe joined the show at the end of the second season, with Scott playing Leslie's eventual husband,Ben Wyatt.[76] At the end of filming the second season, Poehler was once again pregnant. The show began producing the first six episodes ofseason three without a break to accommodate her pregnancy.[76][77][78] Poehler was nominated again for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy in 2011.[79] That same year, the show won aPeabody Award for "developing a hilarious venue to explore the good side of American democracy in an age when that side is so rarely on display."[80] The show was a success with critics, but its future was still uncertain. Two episodes were written that could serve as series finales if it was cancelled, including the mid-season episode where Leslie and Ben get married.[81] The show was ultimately renewed for a sixth season in May 2013.[82] Poehler was nominated for an Emmy Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy in 2013 for her work in season five.Season six included the show's 100th episode, "Second Chunce", co-written by Poehler and Schur.[83] In 2014, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy at the71st Golden Globe Awards, which she co-hosted with Tina Fey.[84] In the middle of season six, Poehler and Schur decided that it felt like the right time to plan the end of the show. They met with representatives from NBC, who agreed. The show was renewed for a final thirteen-episode season.[81] Poehler and Schur co-wrote the final episode of the series, "One Last Ride", which aired on February 24, 2015.[76]
Poehler at the 2012 Peabody Awards
Byseason 5, in addition to starring onParks and Recreation, Poehler was also a producer.[85] Behind the scenes, Poehler started a tradition of inviting the show cast and crew to a group dinner the last night of any location shoot.[5] Poehler would start impromptu dance parties in the makeup trailer on set.[86] Poehler wrote several episodes throughout the series, starting with the season two episode "Telethon".[87][88] Other episodes she penned include "The Fight" (season three),[88] "The Debate" (season four),[89] "Second Chunce" (season six), and the finale "One Last Ride". ProducerDan Goor praised Poehler's writing as "exceptionally good" and theorized, "[i]f Amy Poehler submitted a blind script to any staff, she would be hired."[90] Poehler's writing of "The Debate" was recognized with nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and theWriters Guild of America Award for Television: Episodic Comedy.[34][91] In addition to writing "The Debate", Poehler also directed the episode.[89] Additionally, she directed the episodes "Article Two" (season five)[92] and "Gryzzlbox" (season seven).[93]
Poehler and Fey co-hosted theGolden Globe Awards ceremony for the first time in 2013. The program was watched by 20 million viewers, a 17 percent increase over the previous year.[16] The pair co-hosted again in 2014 as part of a three-year contract.[94][95] Gilbert Cruz ofVulture wrote: "They killed it last year with their opening monologue and they did so again this year."[96] The 2014 show garnered its highest ratings in ten years.[84]
Before the 2015 Golden Globes, Poehler confirmed it would likely be the last time she and Fey hosted.[94]Rolling Stone wrote afterward that the pair "left no superstar unscathed during their riotous opening monologue" in which they "casually roasted the assembled masses".[97] At the 2020Television Critics Association winter press tour, NBC announced Poehler and Fey would host the Golden Globes again in 2021.[98] Because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, Poehler and Fey hosted the Golden Globes from separate locations with Poehler in Los Angeles and Fey in New York City.[99]
In 2001, Poehler set up her own production company,Paper Kite Productions,[5][85] which is part ofUniversal Television. As of 2019, the production company's staff is all female. To describe her success as a producer,The Hollywood Reporter called Poehler "a powerful arbiter of sophisticated comedy."[5] Poehler co-created, produced, and starred in an animated series forNickelodeon titledThe Mighty B!, about Bessie Higgenbottom, a "sweet, merit-badge-obsessed girl scout".[109][110] The character of Bessie was inspired by a character Poehler performed doing improv.[111] Season 1 averaged 3.1 million viewers and ranked as one of the top five animated programs in television. Nickelodeon renewed the show for a second season.[112] In 2009 and 2010, Poehler earnedDaytime Emmy Award nominations forOutstanding Performer in an Animated Program.[113][114]
She has been an executive producer on series such asDifficult People[115] andBroad City.[5] In 2014,Hulu ordered the comedyDifficult People, as the streaming service's first ever scripted series.[115][116] StarringBilly Eichner andJulie Klausner,Difficult People ran for three seasons.[116]Broad City grew out of a web series starringAbbi Jacobson andIlana Glazer. Jacobson and Glazer used their connections at UCB to approach Poehler about starring in the finale of their web series. Poehler agreed to appear in it and then joined Jacobson and Glazer to executive produce a television series.[117] After initially selling a script toFX, the project ultimately landed atComedy Central where it aired for five years until its 2019 series finale.[118] Poehler appeared in the Season 1 finale.[119]
Welcome to Sweden is a Swedish sitcom that premiered in March 2014, and began airing on NBC in the United States three months later. It is based on the experiences of Greg Poehler, who moved with his girlfriend to her native country of Sweden in 2006.[120] The series was canceled by NBC on July 28, 2015, after two seasons due to low ratings.[121] Amy Poehler makescameo appearances in multiple episodes as herself as a celebrity client of her brother's character, a former New York tax accountant. She is also co-executive producer with him.[122]
In March 2017, NBC ordered to series a Poehler-produced crafting series, then-titledThe Handmade Project.[125] The show, retitledMaking It, debuted on NBC in July 2018 with Poehler and herParks and Recreation co-starNick Offerman as co-hosts.[126] The debut episode tied for the highest-rated premiere of summer 2018 and earned Poehler and Offerman a Primetime Emmy Nomination forOutstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program.[127][128] The show returned for a second season which aired in December 2019.[128] NBC has picked upMaking It for a third season.[98]
Poehler, along withNatasha Lyonne andLeslye Headland, created and executive produced the comedy-drama seriesRussian Doll for Netflix.[129][130] The series premiered on February 1, 2019.[131] The genesis of the series started seven years earlier after Poehler remarked Lyonne was always "the oldest girl in the world."[130] Poehler and Lyonne liked the idea of a female character being many things at once but joked the only way to have a female character that complex would be to re-do the part repeatedly.[129] The idea evolved into the series where Lyonne's character dies repeatedly on her 36th birthday.[129] Poehler, Lyonne, and Headland put together an all-female team of writers and directors.[129][132] The series debuted onNetflix with a 100% fresh rating on the ratings aggregate websiteRotten Tomatoes.[130] As of December 28, 2020, the rating remained at 97%.[133]
In June 2016, BBC America announced it is developing a scripted series calledZero Motivation. The project is being executive produced by Brooke Posch and Poehler.[134] Poehler is an executive producer on the upcoming seriesThree Busy Debras, a comedy series being produced forAdult Swim that starsMitra Jouhari, Alyssa Stonoha, and Sandy Honig.[5] In addition to serving as an executive producer, Poehler also provides the voices for two main characters in the seriesDuncanville, which premiered onFox on February 16, 2020.[135][136]
Poehler's weekly scripted podcast series,Say More with Dr? Sheila, was released on September 21, 2023.[137] In 2025 it was announced that she would be starting her own new podcast entitledGood Hang with Amy Poehler. The episodes feature lowkey interviews with Poehler's comedy friends.[138]
Poehler married Canadian actorWill Arnett on August 29, 2003.[139] They met in 1996 when he saw one of her performances and they started dating four years later.[14] During their relationship, Poehler and Arnett worked together on several projects, including the seriesArrested Development, the filmsBlades of Glory,Horton Hears a Who!, andThe Secret World of Arrietty. Poehler and Arnett announced their separation in September 2012;[140] and Arnett filed fordivorce in April 2014,[141] which was finalized in July 2016.[142][143]
Poehler and Arnett have two sons: Archie Arnett, born October 25, 2008,[144] and Abel Arnett, born August 6, 2010.[145] Poehler lives with her children inLos Angeles.[5] She praised her children'snannies as part of herTime 100 speech for helping to take care of them and allowing her to balance her career and family.[146]
From 2013 to 2015, Poehler dated fellow comedianNick Kroll.[147]
In 2016, Poehler received a letter from the city of Beverly Hills for her excessive water usage duringthe state of California's drought that year. Poehler's property usage between May 14 and July 14 exceeded 170,000 US gallons (640,000 L; 140,000 imp gal).[148]
Poehler is a fan of theBeastie Boys. She has a role as a disgruntled cafe patron in the music video for the group's song "Make Some Noise", which was nominated for the MTV Video of the Year in 2011.[149] Poehler wrote a chapter in theBeastie Boys Book that reviews 17 of the group's music videos.[150] In the chapter, Poehler states, "Beastie Boys mean a great deal to me. Their music was the soundtrack I heard while I sat in my room, drank in the woods, and rode my bike to my dead-end job."[151] She is also featured as a voice on the audio version of the book.
She is an activefeminist.[152] In September 2008, Poehler, Meredith Walker, and Amy Miles foundedSmart Girls at the Party, an online community and digital web series aimed at empowering girls.[153][154] The first season premiered online on November 17, 2008, withMattel'sBarbie signed on as the lead sponsor.[155]Smart Girls at the Party returned in 2012 as part of theYouTube Original Channel Initiative that focused upon the creation of new content. The newSmart Girls at the Party YouTube Channel went live on July 2, 2012, including new episodes of the series along with additional shows by Poehler, Walker, and Miles.[156]
Four years after the launch ofSmart Girls at the Party, digital network company Legendary Entertainment acquired ownership of the project. Poehler said in a statement, "We at Smart Girls are excited to be working with Legendary and look forward to providing funny and inspirational content for all of the goofballs out there."[157] By the time of the deal, over five million views were registered on its YouTube channel and over 550,000 fans had liked the initiative on Facebook.[157] On theSmart Girls YouTube channel, viewers have the opportunity to ask for life advice from Poehler in segments calledAsk Amy.[158]Smart Girls celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2018.[159]
Poehler introduces First Lady Michelle Obama on the Fourth Anniversary of Let's Move! in 2014
Poehler has championed a number of social and political causes.[5] In 2012, she collaborated with theNational Domestic Workers Alliance to film apublic service announcement (PSA) to draw attention to the proposed California Domestic Worker Bill of Rights.[160][161] The law, providing overtime pay to domestic workers, was signed into law the following year.[162] Poehler also supportedOne Fair Wage, a campaign to require New York businesses to pay tipped workers the general minimum wage.[163] Poehler has served as a celebrity ambassador for Worldwide Orphans Foundation, traveling to Haiti in 2013.[5] The following year, Poehler joinedMichelle Obama inMiami to celebrate the four year anniversary of herLet's Move! youth health initiative.[164]
Poehler's memoir,Yes Please, was published on October 28, 2014.[165] She explained in a promotional interview withNational Public Radio (NPR) that she was "used to writing in characters and not really writing about myself... it was easier to share the early parts of my life rather than my own current events." Topics covered in the book include body image, parenthood, and learning about the limitations of physical appearance.[166] The book debuted at number one onThe New York Times Best Seller list.[3]
^Mann, Kelsey (June 14, 2024),Inside Out 2 (Animation, Adventure, Comedy), Diane Lane, Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Pixar Animation Studios, Walt Disney Pictures,archived from the original on November 15, 2023, retrievedOctober 20, 2023
^Laudadio, Marisa (October 26, 2008)."Amy Poehler Gives Birth to Baby Boy".People.Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2019.Archie Arnett was born on Saturday ... their rep Lewis Kay said in a statement.
^Oh, Eunice (August 6, 2010)."Amy Poehler and Will Arnett Welcome Baby No. 2".People.Archived from the original on August 16, 2010. RetrievedFebruary 1, 2019.The 'Parks and Recreation' star, 38, gave birth to the couple's second son Friday morning, her rep tells 'People'. Abel James Arnett...
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